


Return

by liusaidh_writing



Category: Outlander (TV), Outlander Series - Diana Gabaldon
Genre: Book 4: Drums of Autumn, F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-11
Updated: 2021-02-11
Packaged: 2021-03-17 17:55:18
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 947
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29354559
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/liusaidh_writing/pseuds/liusaidh_writing
Summary: Jamie longs to return to Claire, home at Fraser's Ridge, after an unexpected delay stretches his day-long hunting excursion into two.
Relationships: Claire Beauchamp/Jamie Fraser
Comments: 9
Kudos: 82





	Return

**Author's Note:**

> This just...fell out of my brain at one in the morning, unable to allow me to sleep until I got it out. I thought I might expand on it, but decided to post it as-is, for fearing ruining it by overthinking. I'm sure this has been done by thousands of fanfic writers, but what's one more on the pile? :)
> 
> Enjoy!

Jamie stood at the river's edge, the dawn light starting to peek through the branches of the tall pines that surrounded him. The water was high, and he let the sound of the rushing water calm his nerves after a second long night in the forest. He knew the water would be cold, goosebumps already forming on his naked flesh. He'd stripped down, desiring a quick dip before heading back to his wife. 

The hunting he'd hoped to do had been near impossible with the heavy rains that fell on his first day. He wondered that he should've given up then and gone home, but he'd decided to go on when Ian and Rollo had caught up with him, bolstering his resolve to come home with some much-needed meat. Instead of scoring anything, he and his nephew, and the dog, had mostly sat in the shelter of a hastily-built lean-to as the wished the torrential rain away. They'd spent the first night soaked to the bone, and the second day shivering in the cool spring air. The second night, Rollo had caught the scent of something, but they were unable to track it once they reached the edge of the river that ran down the mountain near the Ridge. Jamie, frustrated, decided to give up, slowly making his way home by following the river while Ian and Rollo decided to try their luck once more. He'd been away from Claire for long enough, and he didn't want her coming after him like she had that winter, when he'd found himself in a ravine, back on fire with pain and Claire fearing he was dead. No, it wouldn't do to do that to her again. 

Muttering a prayer for her safety, he felt his cock twitch at the thought of her. He was constantly in awe of the effect she still had on him. He was an auld man and still she had a grip on him, their bond unbroken even after so long, much of it spent apart. This particular morning, he hadn’t seen her for two long days and nights, too long if he had any say in the matter. He gazed up, the dwindling starlight giving way to the power of the sun that was just creeping over the tops of the mountains. 

He recalled asking her once, when they were first married, was it normal - what he felt when they touched, when they lay together. She’d first said yes, but had then quickly changed her answer, telling him, no, it wasn’t normal. He’d known then, even as a young lad, that God had created them for one another - and who was he to question the divine? Now, years had passed, and still they came together, all fire and that inexplicable force Jamie could never put into words. It was a wonder he would forever marvel at. 

He hated to think of the time they'd lost. He squeezed his eyes shut for a brief second, willing away the emptiness that crept in when he least expected it. He instead focused on the task at hand, and began the slow walk out into the light churn of the cold mountain water. His feet immediately pained him, but he kept going, letting the water reach his naked thighs before bending lower and cupping his hands to splash his face. The water was like velvet, and he was seized by a vision of Claire, her white flesh, smooth and dotted with light freckles, peeking out from the quilts on their bed. Oh, he longed to be there. 

His hand went to his cock, and his eyes went foggy, the thought of her wet and wanting engulfing is soul. 

He took a ragged breath, admonished himself for the moment of self abuse, and sad another prayer to God for forgiveness. 

His flesh belonged to Claire, and she'd have it, torn and beaten as it was in places. Cupping his hands again, he wet his hair, the water dripping down the bridge of his nose, into his mouth. He took a drink, letting the cool liquid replenish him as he determinedly made his way back to his horse, and home to his wife. 

\--------

Claire shivered, pulling the quilts tighter around her shoulders in an attempt to ward off the cold. The fire was nothing but embers now, but she couldn't wake enough to do anything about it. So, she shook. 

Her head was pounding, her pulse crashing through her body as exhaustion won over anxiety. She licked her lips and succumbed to sleep, finally unable to stay awake any longer. 

She didn't hear the door to the cabin open, nor did she hear Jamie's movements as he removed his clothes. She didn't even hear him rebuild the fire. 

\-----‐----

Jamie slid into bed as gently as he could manage, noticing first her eyes, the dark circles under her closed lids made his breath come short. Her body shook, and he worked his way under the quilts slowly, to give her warmth. 

Her eyes fluttered briefly, and she let out a small whimper. 

"Jamie." 

She weakly lifted one arm to roll toward him, seeking his heat. Laying on his side, he wrapped an arm around her, tugging her close.

"Lie still, mo chridhe. I'm here." 

Balling herself up against his chest, she sighed contentedly while Jamie rubbed light circles into her back. 

She was warming up, and slid a slender leg up over his hips, rocking against him in sleep. Jamie stifled a small moan as her movements went still. 

His earthly desires would wait. For now, he thanked God for his wife, for only God would have made such a creature.


End file.
